Pizza made with Veggies

Here is a great way to introduce Veggies into a meal.

Start with 1 package of Crescent Rolls


1 cup sour cream

One half cup mayonnaise

1 package dry, Ranch dip mix

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup zucchini, grated
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1, 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

Spread out crescent rolls on a baking sheet to form a crust and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and dry dip mix and spread over crust.


Place vegetables over dressing and top with shredded cheese.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into squares before serving.

Try adding your favorite spices to suit your taste.

Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

Here is a nice recipe that is easy to make and feeds 4 to eight people depending on What is served with this meal, but for sure wine is a good choice. 8 boneless chicken breasts 4 slices Swiss cheese 8 slices of ham 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup chicken broth One half cup dry white wine One quarter cup flour 1 tsp. oregano Fresh parsley sprigs Salt and pepper Place chicken breasts in between two pieces of wax paper and pound until about one quarter inch thick and coat lightly with flour. Place one half slice cheese and 1 slice of ham on each chicken breast and roll breast up, secure with a toothpick or a piece of string. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, add chicken breasts, wine, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook each side for about 10 minutes on each side. Garnish with parsley. Sweet and Sour Carrots 1 pound carrots cut in one quarter inch diagonal slices 1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks (in own juice) One quarter cup sugar 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. vinegar 1 Tbsp. soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste. Cook carrots in boiling water until just crisp tender. Drain and set aside. Pour one third cup of pineapple juice into a small saucepan (you may need to add some water to get the full one third cup). Reserve the pineapple chunks. Combine sugar and cornstarch and add to pineapple juice while simmering over low heat. Add vinegar and soy sauce, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine carrots and pineapple chunks in a serving dish. Pour pineapple juice mixture over carrots and pineapple chunks and mix.

Stuffed Eggplant

Here is a great recipe, easy to make and tastes good


4 medium eggplants
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
One half tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Trim tough ends off of eggplants then slice them in half lengthwise. Cook eggplants in lightly salted boiling water for 7 minutes or until just barely tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Cook ground beef in frying pan and then drain off fat. Add onion, garlic and tomatoes and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then.

Transfer meat mixture to a bowl. Scoop out cooled eggplant halves, leaving about 1/2 inch thick shells and reserve the pulp. Remove the seeds from the pulp as best you can. Add pulp to the ground beef mixture then stir in egg, nutmeg, cumin, salt and pepper and half of the cheese.

Spoon mixture into the eggplant shells. Place the shells in a baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Add this salad with the main couse.

Cucumber Salad

3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced
One third cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh mint, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
One half tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Place cucumbers in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over cucumbers and stir to coat.

Enjoy

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 oz., crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small baking dish, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with crackers,chips or tacos.

Pork and Pineapple Casserole

1 16-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained but reserve some liquid
6 to 8 pork loin chops
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 potatoes
8 to 10 strips of bacon or slices of Canadian bacon

Line casserole dish with crushed pineapple, Cover with pork chops and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with slices of raw potato, then slices of bacon. Cover with lid and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Check dish a few times while cooking and if the casserole starts to dry out, if so, add some of the reserved pineapple juice.

Use lean pork chops and low fat bacon to cut back on the fat content.

Carrots and Broccoli

1 16-oz. package of fresh baby carrots
1 lb. fresh broccoli, cut into bite sized florets, and peeled, thin slices of stalk
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
2 Tbsp. orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place carrots in large pot and bring to a boil.

Cook for a couple of minutes then add broccoli, cover the pot and reduce heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is just crisp tender.

Drain veggies and place in a serving dish.

In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add orange zest, ginger and orange juice and mix well. Pour butter sauce over veggies and toss to coat.

Salt and pepper to taste.

You could use reduced sugar orange juice but there really isn't much in the recipe to begin with.

Cheese Herb Stuffed Chicken Breast

4 - 6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
One half cup black olives, sliced
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Cut a 2 - 3 inch slit in each chicken breast. Combine mozzerella cheese, parsley, olive oil and oregano and mix well. Stuff each chicken breast with an equal portion of cheese mixture. Place stuffed chicken breasts in a baking dish. Combine tomatoes, olives and cornstarch and mix. Pour over chicken and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Feta cheese is fairly low in fat if you are looking for something a little tastier.

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

1/4 cup sesame oil

1 pound boneless chicken breasts cut into one half-inch strips

1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Zest from 1 lemon

1 8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained

Hot cooked rice or noodles

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok; stir-fry chicken for several minutes. Add fresh broccoli, onion, carrot and ginger and cook until crisp-tender.

With a zester, remove zest from lemon peel. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and water chestnuts and cook until heated through. Serve over rice or noodles.


Use skinless chicken to cut down on the fat. It will be great tasting either way, :-)

Baked Chiken with a Lime Twist

4 - 6 chicken thighs or chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. grated lime peel
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. seasoned pepper

Put lime peel and lime juice in a resealable plastic bag and place chicken in the bag and shake to coat.

Remove chicken and place in a baking dish.

Combine garlic salt and seasoned pepper and sprinkle over chicken.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 - 60 minutes or until juices run clear.

If you want a little lighter meal use skinless chicken breasts.

Vegetable Paella

Here is a list of the things you need for this great meal

Vegetable Paella


2 large onions, diced
One quarter cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 cups brown rice, uncooked
6 cups chicken broth
1 phial saffron filaments
2 cups water
1 cup fresh green beans cut into one half inch pieces
1 12-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and diced
1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into one half inch pieces
One half cup parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and cook onions until tender. Add garlic and tomatoes and continue to cook for several minutes. Add 5 and three quarters cups of the chicken broth, water, salt and pepper and rice. Heat remaining one quarter cup chicken broth and infuse saffron filaments in hot chicken broth. Add broth to the skillet and cook over medium heat until most of the water is absorbed. At this time add asparagus, green beans, artichokes and parsley; continue to cook for 20 minutes. Garnish with tomato wedges and serve. As a variation to the vegetable paella you may add your choice of seafood like clams, mussels or shrimp. You may also vary the type of vegetables used in this recipe. We would suggest fresh broccoli, small pieces of fresh corn on the cob, fresh zucchini and other fresh summertime veggies. Anything goes so be creative and experiment.

The Skinny: This dish is low in fat and calories. Of course, this can change depending on what other ingredients that you may choose to add. You can find low fat chicken broth in most stores and there would be no problem to using this in the recipe.

Clams Casino, Chicken with creamy sause, baked Pineapple for dessert

Appetizer -- Clams Casino

36 littleneck clams
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
12 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine

Shuck the clams and place each one back onto one of the shells; and reserve the juices in a small saucepan.
Sprinkle some parsley over each clam. Place a square of bacon on each clam, followed by a slice of butter.
Pour a small amount of wine over each clam. Place clams on a baking dish and bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees.
While clams are baking, heat juices until slightly thickened. Remove clams from oven and pour a small amount of juice over each clam. Serve hot.

The Skinny: Use low fat bacon.




Main Course -- Chicken with Creamy Apple Sauce

4 - 6 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Three quarters cup apple cider
2 cups thinly sliced Gala or Braeburn apples
1 cup Half and Half

Sprinkle each chicken breast with salt, pepper and thyme.

Heat oil in a skillet and cook chicken breasts on each side until juices run clear.

Remove chicken from skillet and cover to keep warm.

Add apple cider to pan and cook over medium heat for several minutes. Add apples and Half and Half and cook over low heat until tender. Place chicken on a serving platter and pour sauce over. Serve this over hot rice or pasta.

The Skinny: Use fat free Half and Half.

Fresh Steamed Broccoli with Garlic Walnut Butter

1 bunch fresh broccoli, cleaned, and cut into florets
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
One quarter cup walnut, crushed

Steam broccoli florets until crisp tender; meanwhile, saute garlic in butter in a saucepan, then add walnuts and stir.

When broccoli is just done, remove from steamer and place on a serving platter. Pour butter/walnut mixture over broccoli and toss slightly.

The Skinny: As a general rule, we do not substitute for real butter.




Dessert -- Baked Pineapple Crisp

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cubed
1/4 cup coconut rum
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/3cup butter
4 large white chocolate/macadamia nut cookies, crumbled
1/3 cup flaked coconut

Combine pineapple cubes and rum in a baking dish and toss. Combine sugar and flour and butter until mixture is crumbly. Add crumbled cookies and coconut. Sprinkle over pineapple and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The Skinny: If you do not want to use rum, you may substitute one half tsp. coconut extract and one half tsp. rum extract. If you cannot find fresh pineapple, you may use 2 20-oz. cans of pineapple chunks, drained (use fresh pineapple if you can).